Brewing Global Influence with a Single Leaf: How Chaozhou Unlocks Urban Growth in a Sip of Tea

"Fine mountains, clear waters, and masterful craftsmanship—Chaozhou welcomes the world!" Mayor Cai Danqun extended the invitation to netizens everywhere.

Speaking at the January 19 press conference on Guangdong's "14th Five-Year Plan" achievements, Mayor Cai explained the essence of Phoenix Dancong tea. Its uniqueness lies in the very concept of "single bush"—each tea plant is individually harvested, processed, aromatized, and marketed, making every tree a carrier of a one-of-a-kind flavor. The creation of a perfect cup, he noted, rests on the foundation of "three excellences and one antiquity": excellent soil, excellent air quality, excellent humidity, and the precious resource of ancient tea trees.

This cup of tea, steeped in profound heritage, serves as a vivid microcosm of Chaozhou's high-quality development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Over the past five years, the city's reputation and influence have risen markedly. It has successively earned glittering international and domestic accolades, including UNESCO's "Creative City of Gastronomy" title, designation as the global "Home of Gongfu Tea Culture," and a place among China's "Ten Most Scenic Cities." Furthermore, "Chaozhou Gongfu Tea Art" was successfully inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A series of "Top 100" rankings and recognitions have painted a vibrant picture of a dynamic city where ancient heritage and modern vitality seamlessly converge.

Behind these prestigious titles lies solid industrial strength. Guided by the development philosophy that "one leaf can build an industry and bring prosperity to a region," Chaozhou has nurtured small tea leaves into a multi-billion-yuan powerhouse. The enactment of local regulations like the Chaozhou Ancient Tea Tree Protection Ordinance has erected a robust legal framework for the sustainable development of the tea industry. Concurrently, the city has vigorously promoted green technologies in eco-friendly tea gardens, consistently hosted the Chaozhou Gongfu Tea Convention, and implemented the "Four Unifications" brand standardization system. These efforts have propelled the "Phoenix Dancong" brand to fourth place among China's regional public tea brands. In 2025, the Chaozhou Dancong Tea Cultural System was shortlisted for China's Tentative List for Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems.

Industrial prosperity has directly translated into economic growth and improved livelihoods. By the end of 2024, the city's tea cultivation area exceeded 280,000 mu (approximately 18,700 hectares), with an annual output value nearing 8.9 billion yuan. The tea sector contributed a significant 63.6% to agricultural growth, and total revenue across the entire industry chain reached approximately 30 billion yuan. Powerfully driven by the tea industry, the city's total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery has maintained an average annual growth rate of 6.5% since the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, injecting potent momentum into the provincial "One-Hundred, One-Thousand, Ten-Thousand Project" for rural revitalization.

From the twenty-one precise movements of the intangible cultural heritage Gongfu tea ceremony, to the gastronomic feasts befitting a "Creative City of Gastronomy" and on to the trendy cultural expressions found in creations like the "Fulou Monkey," Chaozhou has successfully crafted an immersive cultural tourism ecosystem. This ecosystem integrates deep cultural experiences, signature culinary delights, and eco-leisure, continuously attracting the gaze of global tourists and investors alike.

Upholding integrity and fostering innovation, Chaozhou is steeping a new pot of "high-quality development" with the same mastery and dedication reserved for its finest tea. Through protection and reinvention, it allows a millennium-old cultural lineage to infuse modern industry; through integration and openness, it enables local distinctiveness to win worldwide acclaim. With its irreplicable cultural charm and industrial vitality, this ancient city is inscribing a uniquely captivating stroke onto the grand canvas of Chinese modernization.